Monster under the bed
by Diruo
Summary: Summary: When Voldemort is a monster himself, what’s hiding under his bed? Why, Harry Potter of course! AU from HBP with some exceptions. This is unfortunately not slash and almost completely without any kind of romance at all. Warnings: spoilers, ooc.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Before beginning a thank-you should be given to hp-lexicon for their organisation of HP-stuff

A/N: Before beginning a thank-you should be given to hp-lexicon for their organisation of HP-stuff.

Disclaimer: None of the recognisable HP-stuff belongs to me. It belongs to JKR and whoever she's sold the rights to. This stands for all chapters in this story.

**Monster under the bed**, by Diruo

Chapter one; A surprise underneath Voldemort's bed and An introduction of the DWIB society

**Harry Potter was feeling slightly**** happier** than he had been for a while now. Because he had been rather depressed since his godfather fell through the veil. But now Harry was content to, to for once, be out in the open without fearing for his life. The reason for this was that he had managed to brew some polyjuice potion before leaving Hogwarts for his annual stay at the Dursleys. This potion, which enables a person to become another for an hour, had now been imbibed by Mister Potter so that he could go to London to shop and maybe, if time allowed it, go sight-seeing. But as we all know Harry Potter's happiness never lasts:

Harry had no idea what a Death Eater was doing in muggle London, but there it was. The Death Eater was not one of the inner circle though, just some low-ranking thug that thought that his Lord would be pleased if his dungeon got a Ronald Weasley decoration.

Harry had just stepped into a small side alley to reorganize his bags when suddenly he felt a hook-like sensation in his navel. Moments later he was crashing into the ground in front of some old castle. He barely had time to gather his wits before he felt his wand being summoned, but luckily he had a plan for such an occurrence, a fake wand he had got from the twins. Originally he had hoped that the being under polyjuice would make the Death Eater summon "Weasley's wand" but apparently the Death Eater wasn't very specific in his _Accio_s. So when he felt his wand being summoned he held on to it with all his will and magic while letting the fake wand slip out of his pocket, because even if it was a fake wand it was still a wand. Unfortunately he didn't have time to draw his real wand and stop himself from being stunned, so when he next woke it was of course to the sight of a cold damp wall in a dungeon cell.

Harry slowly stretched his limbs trying to feel if he had acquired any injuries. No, apparently not. Next he searched his clothes for his wand and his bottle of polyjuice amongst other things. All there, stupid death eaters. He put his ear to the door to which silence met him, so he took a chance and whispered _Alohomora_, only after trying to open the door the normal way of course. Who knew if a Death Eater that didn't even search his victim for dangerous items after knocking said victim unconscious would remember to lock the door? Well, apparently the Death Eater had and thus the _Alohomora_.

He was slowly creeping into the corridor after taking another swig of his polyjuice; it wouldn't do for someone to notice the Boy Who Lived sneaking around in one of Voldemort's hidey-holes, now would it?, When he in the faint light of his wand noticed his shopping bags lying crumbled against the wall opposite the cell door. He raised his eyebrows in amused astonishment but shrunk them down and put them in his pocket anyway while sparing a thought towards the Ministry of Magic's department of Under aged Wizardry and whether or not they would send an owl with an envelope marked:

_Harry Potter_

_Dungeon_

_You Know Who's Castle_

Maybe. But on the other hand they would probably not take any notice of the address. Morons, the bunch of them. Hmm, if the Ministry was moronic, the Death Eaters idiots, and the Order hardly knew what they where doing, maybe he should start his own group; the Society of DWIB, a Defence with Intelligent Beings?

A noise down the hall pulled him out of his thoughts with a violent start. When trying to escape from Voldemort's castle it was not the time for planning a group of Dwibs obviously. He scanned his surroundings quickly and thanked his lucky star when he saw an open door to his left. He rushed in through the opening to find a lavishly decorated room. Frantic for a hiding place as he was he rushed further into the chambers, through another door, only to find a bedroom. But Harry truly was desperate so he felt he had no choice but to dive under the bed. As he tried to calm his fast paced heart the footsteps became louder and moments later he heard the door close with an ominous thud.

**Voldemort sighed to himself **as he searched his pocket for his self-cleaning handkerchief. He liked living in the dungeons for safety reasons. Who knew when a bomb or some other highly explosive thing would feel like blowing up his castle? Besides it was closer to the escape tunnels down here. Damn Aurors and their Anti-Disapparation jinxes. But living in the dungeons also had an unfortunate side-effect; it irritated his sinuses, in other words, his nose got runny, often, which was why he had the handkerchief. If he only could find it… where did he use it last? He backed out of his chambers and walked back along the corridor until he came round the corner. Aha! There it was. He picked it up, looked around a bit before he made use of it and then he could _finally_ head back to his chambers again.

When our dear self-appointed lord stepped in to his chambers the second time that afternoon he sighed again. A rarely considered side effect to being a Dark Lord that didn't trust his followers was being made to take care of a large amount of paperwork by himself. Before Lucius imprisonment he could at least force him to take care of the minor stuff, even if he didn't trust him he still knew how to handle paperwork, but now Voldemort had to do absolutely everything himself. For a moment he thought about making Wormtail take care of some of it, but he was sure he would butch up a simple thing like that too. After all he couldn't even make a potion that only required three ingredients on top of a very simple base-solution! What most didn't know was that he wasn't supposed to look like a humanoid monster after his resurrection. A little snake-like sure, but not some pale emaciated skeleton without a nose!

He bent down to take of his boots but remembered to find his slippers first. The floor really was damn cold. At a first glance he couldn't find them though, but then he saw something peak out from beneath his wine coloured bedspread. He lifted it slightly and ah, there they were. Then Voldemort blinked confusedly in surprise because he found something else there as well.

**When Harry awoke** it was with fear coursing through his body. He had managed to fall asleep in enemy territory! Then the softness underneath him registered and instead confusion rose in his mind. He slowly opened his eyes and saw, dun, dun, dun… a stone ceiling! But he must have had made some noise in the process because suddenly he heard a slightly familiar voice state:

"Finally awake I see."

Harry turned his head, noting absentmindedly that that was all he _could_ move, and came upon a strange sight indeed: A Voldemort with hair and, not a nose, but a small bump in the place where a nose should be. Harry blinked in confusion both at the sight and the absence of pain in his scar.

"Voldemort?" he said slowly, hesitant.

"Yes?" the figure raised his eyebrow.

"What…Are you doing _paperwork_?" Harry changed his question when seeing the ball-point pen in his hand and the stacks of paper and piles of parchment behind him.

"Of course, who else would do it?" the red-eyed person answered.

"Are you sure you're Voldemort, the Dark Lord?" Harry couldn't help asking.

The figure got an annoyed crease in his forehead. Upon which Harry felt a slight twinge in his scar.

"No, I'm Harry Potter using polyjuice. Of course I'm the Dark Lord! Do you want me to Crucio you as proof?"

"No that's okay. I can feel it now." Harry was quick to reassure.

"Feel it?" Voldemort sounded almost curious.

"Yes, my scar hurts when your emotions become strong about something. The closer I am, the more I feel apparently."

"Hmm."

For a while silence ruled until Harry said:

"You know, you should use a computer."

"Yes, but how do you think the purebloods would react if I asked them to write their reports on a muggle machine?"

"They would revolt."

"Exactly."

Silence again. This time it was Voldemort's turn to break it:

"What were you doing under my bed?"

"Ehm… Well, I was shopping in muggle London disguised as my friend Ron, you know Weasley, when suddenly one of your Death Eaters grabbed me and port-keyed me here."

"And he didn't think to remove your wand or search you for other items?"

"Well, he tried to summon my wand but I made him get a fake one instead."

Voldemort sighed.

"Now you see why I have to do my paperwork myself."

Harry nodded and they fell silent again before Harry decided to ask:

"Do you want to join the Society of DWIB? You could be the secretary? Get to use a computer?" As these questions shows Harry was still a bit out of it, too many shocks in one day on top of a depression can do that to you.

"Excuse me?" Voldemort stared at him.

"Well you seem to suffer from being surrounded by morons as well as having experience with paperwork and the Society of Defence with Intelligent Beings' goal is to defeat the stupidity in our community with the first targets being Death Eaters, the Ministry of Magic, and the Order of the Phoenix."

Voldemort kept staring.

"And who are the members of this society?"

"Actually, so far it's just me. You see, I got the idea while escaping from the cell your follower left me in with an _Alohomora_."

"We'll see. Why don't you make a thorough design first?"

"You're not going to kill me?"

"I'll let you live for now and then sometime slightly before the new term at Hogwarts begin I'll consider both your proposal and whether or not I'll let you live again, deal? Of course, you'll have to promise not to try to escape or harm anyone here."

"What about self-defence?"

"Only then, but do try to avoid such situations where it is necessary."

"Ok, deal."

"And?"

"Yeah, yeah, I promise not to try to escape or hurt anyone except in self-defence."

A swirl of magic swirled around them to confirm their deal. Not anything dangerous just something that would alert them if the other was about to go against their word.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two; Decision anxiety and Petunia gets to meet the Dark Lord

**Voldemort and Harry** had just finished preparing a guest room in adjunction to Voldemort's chambers when reality slowly started to sink in and with it came the prophecy and the fact that his friends had promised to get him out from the Dursleys quickly this summer. Harry made some hasty excuses and locked himself in the loo where he collapsed against the door.

On one hand if the prophecy was completely true then this could be an opportunity to learn Voldemort's weaknesses but it could also mean that if the master Legilimens read his mind and discovered the rest of the prophecy his life could be shortened considerably. On the other hand, what did he really know about divination? What if prophecies simply told what was most probable to happen if nothing changed drastically? And besides he really needed more time to think things over. The only reason he was glad to be away from the Dursleys was that ha had too many bad memories associated to that place, and he knew that his friends, dear though they were, would never leave him alone. Other than that he wondered if not his DWIB thing had merit.

But if he stayed he would have to get his things, especially Hedwig and his homework. He needed to be able to send those letters every three days, and if Voldemort decided to let him go and maybe left his Voldemorty ways to become a Dwib he needed to have his homework completed before Hogwarts started again, 'cause where did there exist better recruiting grounds than Hogwarts?

In the end he decided that he deserved a break from his usual role as the Boy Who Lived and as such he decided to stay with his enemy for awhile. Now, if he just could convince dear Marty to take him to the Dursleys to get said things and make his _family_ pretend that he still was there, everything would be okay.

**Although Voldemort wasn'****t** too happy to be made to socialise with muggles he eventually agreed to take Harry to the Dursleys as he couldn't exactly make a Death Eater do it. Later, when they arrived it was with a small amount of surprise they observed that the Dark Lord didn't have any problems whatsoever to enter the residence. Now, whether it was because he didn't was conceived as a threat towards Harry at the moment or that he had been revived on Harry's blood could be taken under investigation. But as neither cared beyond doing what they'd come to do it wasn't considered for long.

Petunia's reaction to Voldemort standing behind Harry was rather amusing. First she thought that he was an order member coming to scold them for not keeping Harry indoors.

"He said he had taken safety precautions and who are we to protest when you already threatened us for not taking care of him!" she had screeched.

Then when Harry told her that no, the person standing behind him wasn't an order member but the Dark Lord Voldemort. Information upon which she fainted, very useful as it gave them the opportunity they needed to gather Harry's belongings. She was just coming to when they ventured down again. They had just begun arguing about if Voldemort should be permitted to use _Imperio_ on Petunia and the rest when she asked the million dollar question, or should it be pounds?

"Aren't you supposed to want to kill the boy?"

"Why yes, but we've agreed to a temporary peace until the end of summer you see." Voldemort answered, sounding as happy as a deranged Dark Lord can without having to take to spells or potions of some kind.

And that was that, Petunia didn't need much more convincing than that to keep their secret and making the rest of her family do the same.

**The next obstacle** on the road was convincing Dumbledore and his friends to leave him alone for the time being. An obstacle made more difficult by having a Dark Lord in close proximity laughing at his attempts at letter writing. And if that wasn't all he was under time pressure as well; Dumbledore had recently sent him a letter telling him that he was coming to pick him up on Friday to take him to the Burrow. Eventually, with a couple of suggestions from a still highly amused Voldemort the final draft looked something like this:

_Dear Professor Dumbledore_

_Although I can't say I'm unhappy to hear that I can leave the Dursleys even earlier than expected I feel that they contrary to other summers induce a sense of calmness that gives me time to think things over, a thing I'm sure you can understand that I need, and something I, in spite of the niceness of the Weasleys, won't be able to find in the liveliness of their home. I will of course be grateful for any suggestions to knowledge that may be important for me to know in preparation of the future, especially tips or books on Occlumency so that I can finally master it._

_I would greatly appreciate if you could forward my regrets to Hermione, Ron and his family about not being able to come. I'm sure hearing it from you would help to give me some privacy for awhile._

_Yours_

_Harry Potter_

_PS. I will of course continue sending letters to let you know I'm okay, but I think every Monday instead of every three days would be better._

It wasn't long after that that he received his OWL results and a care package of useful books from Dumbledore. And despite the rather interesting titles found in the box Harry decided to finish his homework early for once, on top of skimming through his old books in the hunt of something useful that he'd missed through the years.

**Voldemort wasn't sure** what to think when watching his enemy sitting nearby doing his homework while he himself took care of more of the paper on his overloaded desktop. It drove in the fact that he for many years now had unsuccessfully tried to kill a kid, not yet out of school. Someone who's problems normally would be girls and unfair teachers who distributed too much homework. It was a bit baffling that someone over fifty years younger had eluded him for so long and now when he finally had him captured, by mistake no less, he just didn't feel like killing him. Maybe it was the fact that Potter reminded him of his younger days, defeating the idiocy of our community indeed, a more innocent version sure, but still. It could also be that it was nice to have someone to keep him company that wouldn't kill him if he turned his back, yet anyway. Voldemort sighed once again, he seemed to do that a lot nowadays, and decided to just _go with the flow_ or whatever it was that the teenagers said at the moment.

He gazed over at Potter who seemed to be struggling with some piece of his homework and found himself offering to help him, after all he was one of the most brilliant students Hogwarts had ever had. And if he was truthful, it would be nice to take a break from all these infernal reports.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three; Does learning Occlumency from your enemy defeat the purpose and A surprise meeting

**When Harry**** proudly announced** that he was done with his homework only to start unpacking several books from the large box Dumbledore sent him, he noticed Voldemort looking upon him with curiosity. The curious expression on his face reminded Harry that he had seen quite a few not quite Dark Lordly expressions on Voldemort's face this past week. It also confirmed that neither of them had been able to regard this situation exceedingly seriously since the start. Oh well, maybe that was a good thing…

"This is your fault actually." Harry said at last after deciding that _curious_ just wasn't a good look for a dark lord.

"Oh really, what have I done this time?" Voldemort sounded amused.

"Well it was you who decided to kill me and therefore creating a connection that I need Occlumency to block, wasn't it?" Well at least _amused_ was more suiting than _curious_, right?

"Yes, I suppose you're right about that. But I could rectify that by helping you'd like? I am, after all, a master Legilimens."

"Wouldn't that sort of defeat the purpose?"

"You may start with reading those books of yours, then I'll be kind enough to answer any inquiries you might have and then when you feel more secure about your shields I could test them… _gently_ of course. What do you say?" Voldemort smirked unpleasantly with a glint in his eyes.

"I'll think about it."

Voldemort cackled evilly inside his mind. The full prophecy was as good as his. Given that Dumbledore had told it to the brat of course…

As it turned out Harry did do what Voldemort had suggested by which he also learned Legilimency as a side effect. Because to understand what a shield was exactly Voldemort had let him examine his own shields and to be able to do that, it had obviously been necessary for him to learn Legilimency as any experimentation with their mind-link only could end in pain.

Well to be precise, actually learning Occlumency was a process that lasted through the entire summer. It was also a process that almost made their deal come to a brutal end several times as it brought up several memories that both of them rather liked to avoid, but they solved it by locking themselves in their rooms and focusing on other things, or rather in Voldemort's case: stalking off and cursing some Death Eaters. Undoubtedly quite a few of them got confused by their Lord storming _from_ his quarters instead of _to_ them seeing as very few of them actually met Harry that summer. Though the first meeting that occurred was ironic in many ways:

One day maybe three weeks after the beginning of Harry's stay in enemy camp he got the honour of opening the door when it was politely knocked upon, because the chambers true inhabitant currently was in the shower. Harry wasn't sure it was such a good idea for him to open, but the Dark Lord insisted and who was he to protest against the Big Bad Dark Lord?

**Draco Malfoy was quite nervous** when he descended into the dungeons to reach the Dark Lords quarters. He had a feeling that his fathers resent mistakes wouldn't make his situation any easier either. So it was that, when he with trepidation had knocked on the door, he kneeled; trying to give his Lord fewer reasons to curse him as he had heard he was prone to do lately and without any reason at all apparently. When the door then opened he kept his eyes directed downwards and as such his first thought upon seeing the person opening the door was _the Dark Lord sure has small feet_. It almost distracted him from speaking but he gathered his wits about him after a second or so.

"You sent for me, My Lord." he said submissively. Only to, after seconds of an oppressive silence, get the shock of his life:

"Not that I don't enjoy seeing you on your knees before me Malfoy, but I do think you should be more careful when you decide to open yourself up for attacks like that." He heard a familiar voice say. "If only I hadn't promised not to attack anyone during my stay here." The voice continued with remorse colouring its tone.

Draco raised his head.

"Potter!?"

"Yes, imagine seeing you here. Though it was quite expected I suppose."

Draco never had a chance to say anything else before his rival continued:

"Why don't you come in and relax for awhile. Voldemort's washing his _hair_." Harry couldn't contain a snicker. "Oh, and I would avoid his desk if I were you."

Draco wasn't quite sure how to react so he stood and went over to the sofa to sit down. He watched as Potter closed the door and walked over to an overstuffed armchair with a book lying face down upon it. He kept watching as Potter then picked up the book, sat down and started to read. Then after maybe two minutes of silence he finally couldn't take it anymore and spoke:

"What the _hell_ are you doing _here_ of all places, Potter?!"

Harry looked up, seemingly weighing options in his mind, and then he simply said:

"Relaxing."

If anything that just made Draco more frustrated. Maybe it was luck that the Dark Lord showed up just then, hair moist and with a towel wrapped around his shoulders to protect his robes, or maybe not. Draco watched bewildered as Potter and his Lord exchanged some looks whereupon Potter stood and disappeared into another room. Draco couldn't help but stare at them both. But then it was as if a change had come over his Lord as suddenly it really was the Dark Lord standing there in front of him and Draco once again felt very, very nervous.

**Maybe it was Malfoy** that made Harry realise who it was that he was actually living with. Because when he left him and Voldemort alone and went into his room he just collapsed on the bed. He was living with his parent's _murderer_ and _enjoying_ it. He felt guilt and shame rising through his throat and tears forming in his eyes. _Sirius_. Would he be disappointed in him now? He missed him, so much that it hurt. Sure he wasn't always that responsible but he was _his_, a father figure and big brother in one.

Then he thought of Voldemort who actually wasn't that insane and he could actually understand why he had done some of the things he'd done. He remembered one of their biggest fights after he had moved in; they had been talking about stuff in general and gotten onto the subject of Dementors, courtesy to the resent mass breakout from Azkaban. When Harry had remembered just what it was he heard when the creatures got close, and from there on it had only escalated:

"You killed my parents!"

"They were my enemies, of course I killed them. And besides, I gave your mother a chance to step aside as I'm sure you recall."

"You… You…"

"What?"

"You're just an insane fucking murderer! Sure my parents were your enemies, but what about all those innocent muggles, huh?!"

"Well, they are good stress relief for some of my more vicious followers."

Harry couldn't help but mutter:

"You should just let them kill each other instead."

Though his anger hadn't abated just yet so he continued:

"And why do you always have to try to kill me? I mean if your schemes weren't so easy to find out and if they didn't involve me there would be no need for all this shit. You say you don't like me always spoiling your plans, but then DON'T INVOLVE ME IN THEM!"

Voldemort glared at him and said:

"I should give you a nice dose of the _Cruciatus_ right now. But I won't, instead I will let you watch a few memories of mine and then you will go to your room and stay there while I go and take care of some _work_."

Harry fell silent. Not really because of the words or the glare, but because of the fierce pain in his scar that showed exactly how angry his mortal enemy truly was. It reminded Harry that maybe it wasn't so smart to yell at a person who could kill you within the blink of an eye and who wouldn't regret it because he had tried to do so before!

After that little situation and the viewing of a string of memories that showed how Voldemort's carrier had started out, not to forget the rather tense discussion afterwards when Voldemort had returned, they had felt more at peace with each other and Harry had gotten some more inspiration for DWIB.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four; Malfoy number two and Can I get some fresh air, _please_

**Harry was feeling restless. **Sure he was used to being trapped within the Dursley residence during the summers but well, he had never been that good at staying inside. Even his proneness to getting into trouble when going out, both at the Dursleys and at Hogwarts, had never been able to stop his spirit from going stir-crazy. Though much tempted to, Harry was quite sure that he would get into even more trouble if he attempted to sneak out of Voldemort's stronghold. There was only one option left: approaching Voldemort himself.

He chose one evening when Voldemort seemed to have less paperwork than normal bothering him. Harry may not have been cursed yet, but he was aware of that on several occasions there hadn't been much stopping the Dark Lord from starting a nice round of torture.

"Eh, Voldemort?" he still wasn't used to saying that name in a conversional tone, wasn't sure he ever would be able to say it without sounding like he was trying to speak a foreign language actually.

"Yes?" the mandatory eyebrow was lifted.

"I… well… that is to say… I'm going crazy!" Great Harry, confirm rest of the blasphemy the Daily Prophet is spouting while you're at it, why don't you?

Voldemort blinked.

"And what are you expecting me to do about it?"

"Okay, maybe that wasn't very well-articulated, but what I meant to say was that I need some fresh air. I'm a teenager, you know, and there's only so much reading I can stand without wanting to start a bonfire of the damn things!"

"You should have said something sooner. I would not have minded brining you along on one of my raids. Still wouldn't as a matter of fact." And the eyebrow went up again. Harry wondered if it did so by itself while Voldemort slept after being used in that manner so often.

"What? No!"

"Calm yourself, I was just jesting."

Harry stared at him with wide eyes, incredulous.

"Right, right, Dark Lords aren't allowed to jest I get it." Then as soon as his almost playful behaviour had come it was gone and Voldemort drawled:

"I suppose I could let you out in muggle London for a bit. We will just have to choose a less known person for you to impersonate."

And that was how Harry finally got to breathe some fresh air. In fact: because that first trip went so well he even got to go back several times more. Yay for Harry! Though as strange as the Dark Lord's behaviour had been that day Harry couldn't help but asking him about it later on. It turned out that it had been a side effect brought by one of the potions he had imbibed to counter his resurrection potion's flaws. (Or so he said anyway. Harry could never quite decide if he believed him or not.) It was a rather amusing conversation that they had held about it. It had come about after a small discussion of the Ministry of Magic's rather cowardly behaviour when concerning the Dark Lord:

"Speaking of weird behaviours, do you mind me asking why you were acting so strangely that time I asked you about going outside for awhile?"

"Potter." the Dark Lord almost growled.

"Yes?" Harry answered innocently while considering looking up a charm to give him an angel's halo.

Voldemort sighed as he realised trying to terrify Potter into letting go of his curiosity was going to be impossible. This was one of the few occasions on which he wished he never had grown back his nose. A man with a nose was less intimidating than a man without.

"I informed you earlier about Wormtail's abysmal performance at my resurrection, correct?"

Harry nodded.

"Well as I am sure you're also aware of I have been imbibing several potions to counter some of the flaws produced by his mistakes… Some of those potions have had some unfortunate _side effects_."

"Oh… Wait… side _effects_? As in several? Does this mean you have been having more problems than just a bit of ehm… desire to joke?"

"Unfortunately," Voldemort sneered. "I'm sure you recollect the time when I wore my hood raised for several days in a row even when residing in here?"

Harry almost burst out laughing.

"_Please_, give me some details!"

"If I ever hear of you repeating this to _anyone_ I will curse you with things that will make _Crucio_ seem like a wet dream, understand Potter?"

Harry, though a bit intimidated and feeling a shiver travelling along his spine, nodded eagerly to Voldemort whom hesitated a bit before resuming:

"My hair felt like transforming into bright _orange_ and becoming _curly_. If I had not known better I would have thought that it was some disease transmitted through you from the Weasleys."

At that Harry did start to laugh and the Dark Lord got up from his chair storming away, no doubt to curse some of his followers.

**Some time later when Harry **had managed to calm down he brought forth his preliminary DWIB plans. So far the only thing complete was the organisation's goals and Harry needed to have more than that if he wanted to survive the summer, he was certain of it. Sadly he was interrupted by a knock on the door and left without much choice but answer, it could be important. He wondered briefly if he should charm his voice to sound like Voldemort's but chose not to. He opened…

"Potter!?" Lucius said shocked, apparently Draco hadn't told his father of Voldemort's new inhabitant.

Like father like son, Harry thought as he gazed at the older Malfoy male. Though Lucius did seem to have a bit more of a spine seeing as he was standing up instead of kneeling on the floor like his school rival had done.

"Yes?" he answered at last.

"Where's the Dark Lord?" the blond said suspiciously.

"Well I thought he was off torturing you guys, but seeing as you've come here to look for him… hmm, no idea actually." Harry wondered if maybe he should begin taking the situation more seriously, but if Dumbledore and Voldemort were insane why couldn't he be, damn it!? He barely had time to finish the thought before he needed to duck under a _Stupefy_.

"Hey!" he exclaimed while mentally starting to laugh; time to kick some Death Eater arse… in self defence of course. And as he ducked under yet another _Stupefy_ he fired of his first spell, a spell he'd got from one of the sixth year course books Dumbledore had sent along with his Occlumency books:

"_Aguamenti_" it hit and Harry couldn't help but thinking that both Malfoys looked completely ridiculous when drenched with water. Of course he didn't stop there, no, as soon as the water charm had left his wand he fired of a freezing charm closely followed by a jelly-fingers curse and _Densaugeo_, the teeth growing charm. A sequence of spells that ensured that Lucius Malfoy no longer were a threat, but to be on the safe side he stupefied him as well in wait for Voldemort to come back. Maybe he should wrap him up as a gift?

As it turned out Harry wouldn't have had the time to wrap Malfoy senior up even if he had wanted to because only moments later Voldemort stalked in through the door only to freeze as he saw one of his top servants lying on his chamber floor with various _afflictions_.

"Potter," he said with growing apprehension as he switched his gaze to the innocent looking teenager sitting in his armchair with a charmed halo over his head "what just happened here?"

"Not much. I've written down more of my DWIB plans, but otherwise it's been rather dull, why?"

"_Potter_" the Dark Lord hissed.

"Oh, you mean Malfoy, eh Lucius." Harry had almost completely forgotten about him. "Well, he came here looking for you but as I told him, I had no idea where you were. By the way, where were you?"

Voldemort gave a slow hiss.

"Right, I suppose he didn't like that answer because then he tried to stupefy me, which of course I couldn't allow so… well you can see what I did next." Harry looked up filled with a bit of trepidation. "You know… self defence?" He hoped his halo-charm would help to display his innocence in the matter.

Voldemort just sighed. Then he shook his head slowly. One of his best Death Eaters, defeated by a teenager, again. Most probably Lucius had not expected Potter to be any faster than this spring but maybe he should just tell his followers that Potter was here and not to attack him? This secrecy obviously wasn't doing the trick.

"Just remove your spells, Potter." Voldemort said resigned.

He did, including the halo, and Voldemort bent down over Lucius to see if he was waking.

"Lucius?" he questioned.

The blonde opened his eyes.

"Aaaaah!" he screamed, loudly and scrambled backwards, away from the Dark Lord. Because who wouldn't be scared if the first thing you saw upon awakening was a pale face with glowing red eyes?

Voldemort just looked at him while Harry giggled. A _manly _giggle of course.

"M-my Lord!" Lucius exclaimed then he realised that he had heard a giggle and looked around "Potter!" he searched for his wand which he didn't find because Harry had put it in one of his pockets.

"Lucius" Voldemort interrupted his search.

"Yes my Lord?"

"What were you thinking trying to curse my guest like that?" he asked with a treacherous calm.

"But it's Potter!"

"I am well aware of that, but he is also a guest and the fact that he opened my chamber door should have had clued you in. Your son is obviously more intelligent than you. Oh and… _Crucio_."

Lucius Malfoy screamed.

"Now that that's over and done with… just why exactly are you here?"

It turned out that Lucius had just heard from one of his contacts within the ministry that Cornelius Fudge was on the verge of getting fired and that Rufus Scrimgeour, the Head of the Auror Office, was most likely to become the next minister. This wasn't very good because Scrimgeour would most likely be a better opponent than Fudge who thought of that Voldemort was sort of like Santa Clause, in the aspect that he only existed in the minds of children. This piece of information made the Dark Lord attach himself to his desk for a long scheming session. Harry realised he needed to do some scheming as well because if he managed to get a minister whom would listen to him, his DWIB plans would come along much easier.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five; Potter proudly presents the society of DWIB and Hmm… parselmagic?

**Harry Potter was standing** in front of the Whomping Willow and he knew that the tree was just about to bash him to pieces with its long whip-like branches. He needed to get away, quickly, so he raised his wand and called the Knight Bus. But when the violent purple thing showed up it didn't rescue him, it started tap-dancing and it wasn't long before the Whomping Willow joined the bus in dance. _Tap, tap, tatatap_ it sounded. Terrified as he was he tried to run away, but the tapping just wouldn't stop. Then he suddenly woke up, wild-eyed and staring towards the tapping sound. An owl, a bloody owl! What right did it have to affect his dreams like that? A dancing Knight Bus indeed… But just because Harry now was awake it didn't mean that the owl would stop its tapping so Harry untangled himself from his sweaty sheets and climbed off his bed with a large yawn to open the window. The extraordinarily insistent owl swooped in closely followed by several others. He wondered why so many owls were there for a moment while he performed a charm to check the time. It was just after midnight and as he reached out to untie the packages from the owls he realised that it was his birthday.

Other than that the thirty-first of July passed without much fanfare. He got some candy and a couple of books from his friends and the news that the order would escort him to Diagon Alley on the fourteenth where he would be able to meet with his friends and shop for his school things. He did get something else as well but not until later in the day: A snake, apparently one of Nagini's hatchlings, or rather a would-be hatchling because Nagini had just laid her eggs. And as Nagini was a King Cobra she wouldn't give them away for anything until they hatched, which they wouldn't do until the beginning of October at the earliest. Until then Harry had also got a book on parselmagic to content with, which Voldemort had recommended him to read before the hatching of his new pet. Curious about a whole new branch of magic Harry opened the book almost immediately when acquiring some time alone in the evening:

_The study of Parse__lmagic by Anguitenens_

_Index:_

_Page 5 Introduction_

_Page 6 Basic snake-care_

_Page 72 Useful parsel-spells and charms_

_Page 124 Useful potions_

_Page 189 Snakes in the wild - The calming and controlling of_

_Page 195 Notes_

_Introduction_

_The world of snakes is most wondrous indeed…_

…_Parseltongue - the language of snakes is only a spoken language though many have tried to create…_

…_when used by a parselmouth parselmagic is a powerful tool indeed. It can calm the most dangerous snake and…_

…_It is a rare gift and he who possesses it shall be most successful when dealing with snakes but..._

…_Parselmagic is the magic a man accomplished in parseltongue can use to strengthen his hold over snakes…_

… _This book deals with the basics of the art and is most useful for the beginner parselmouth dealing with his first pet…_

After skimming the introduction Harry couldn't help but stare at that sentence near the bottom again:

… _This book deals with the basics of the art and is most useful for the beginner parselmouth dealing with his first pet…_

Parseltongue, the language Salazar Slytherin was so famous for mastering, was nothing more than a language for people wanting to speak with their pets?! Oh well… At least it would be useful.

Truth to be told Harry was a bit surprised at getting something from Voldemort at all even though they had become somewhat like friends during his time at Voldemort's hideout, but this event led to a terrifying thought: What would he get Voldemort? And more importantly, _when_ was his birthday? But that was a thought for another time because after thanking Voldemort for his gifts, Harry was finally able to present to him the final results of the DWIB planning:

_The society of __DWIB - a Defence with Intelligent Beings_

_The step-by-step guide to,_

_Primary objective: To, with as non-violent means as possible, eradicate the Irrational Elements of Our Society(Our Society being the Wizarding world of the United Kingdom) with primary focus of the IE in the Ministry of Magic, the Death Eaters, and the Order of the Phoenix while keeping the formerly mentioned Wizarding world secret from the Muggles._

_Secondary objective: To, through education and regulations, prevent the upcoming of new Irrational Elements, both the reestablishment of IE of old and the forming of new IE._

_Means to achieve Primary objective: As the objective is to accomplish the Eradication of Irrational Elements as peacefully as possible our primary steps becomes thus:_

_Step one: Gathering a council to govern DWIB._

_Step two: Through recruitment of necessary personnel establish a network of informants._

_Step three: Through information recovered from informants (see step two) locate key sites and beings crucial to make the Eradication complete._

_Step four: Eradicate the Irrational Elements._

_Means to achieve secondary objective: To be able to change the Education Standards and the laws of our country the steps become thus:_

_Step one: In the panic following the Eradication replace the Irrational Elements with people trusted or controlled by the council, make these selected people stand out as heroes and pillars of society as to make the people think it was their idea to elect these vital people as their leaders._

_Step two: Start changing the Education Standards so that the Step three has support. This step must be extended trough several years as people are not accepting of quick changes._

_Step three: Start changing the laws. This step can be begun earlier while Step two is still in process so that the leaders are not considered to be IE themselves. This step must also be extended through the years, see Step two for reasoning._

_Step four: Complete the changes to fulfil the Secondary Objective and enjoy a world with fewer Irrational Elements._

Voldemort stared at the parchment. Voldemort stared at Potter. Potter stared back. Voldemort started laughing.

"You get to live, my friend." he said after calming down.

Harry smiled.

"Good, then we need some treacle tart."

"Treacle tart?"

"Why yes, to celebrate of course."

When going to bed that night Harry reflected over what it meant that his best birthday ever, except for his eleventh and then only a part of it, was the one he celebrated with his mortal enemy.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six: With a twist of Occlumency and stuff and The return of the king (or rather the wizard)

Chapter six: Prophecies and Destruction

**Voldemort sighed and ****stared** at the locked door leading to Harry's room. He realised it wasn't easy for someone who was used to trying to save everybody to be planning the murders of several muggles and wizards. But, if all the DWIB plans were supposed to work some chaos beyond just some damaged property was necessary.

Immediately upon waking in the morning of August first, Harry and he had discussed the details of DWIB's rise to power. They had decided that as far as possible the organisation would never be known to the general public. This meant that the Death Eaters would have to take the blame for several, if not most, of their attacks. As a matter of fact, they had decided to send some Death Eaters on suicide missions: Both to take out Ministry personnel in key positions and later Order members, when Harry had had a chance to find out where they were positioned, and to get rid of some of the Death Eaters now so that they didn't have to do it later. That wasn't really the problem though. It was when Voldemort had told Harry that he himself would have to perform some of the attacks that he had become a bit hesitant:

"I don't know. What if I get caught?" Harry had said, not wanting to admit he felt a bit sick when thinking of killing people.

"You will not, and you know it. I have taught you better and that. And if you truly are serious about this project you better show it now or it will never succeed. Nobody wants to follow a weak leader who does not stand for what he believes in!" _And neither will I _was left unsaid, but Voldemort had seen in Harry's eyes that he understood.

"I-I need to think…" And with that the boy had gone into his room.

Voldemort sighed again and thought that it was incredibly fortunate that they already had discussed the full prophecy; He wouldn't have wanted to get in to a fight such as that had been now when everything with DWIB finally was becoming reality. If they still hadn't discussed the prophecy and the undercurrents of distrust still had remained the risk would have been, had they begun to fight now, that Voldemort would have become so enraged by not being able to curse the boy freely that he would have fired the killing curse or some such. That is not to say that he didn't try it then, but at the time he had mostly only tried to hurt the boy. If he had dropped all restrictions of killing Harry it would have extinguished all hope for DWIB, and that would be rather sad because Voldemort was starting to like being a Dwib. He thought back on when the prophecy had first been discovered and sighed once again, he _really_ hoped that their next fight wouldn't resemble the one that had come of that. The fight hadn't really been that violent in the beginning but it had created a long standing sense of suspicion and a general air of hostility that lasted over a week and hadn't disappeared until a couple of days ago when both reached the end of their fairly short fuses and exhausted their magic in a fight, whereupon they finally managed to sit down together and discuss everything regarding prophecies and their like.

It had only been a few days after Voldemort had offered to teach Harry occlumency. They had just finished going through basic theory and was starting with the practical part when it happened:

Everything was fine in the beginning. Voldemort prodded Harry's mind gently and then slowly powered up his spells. Certainly neither of them trusted the other yet, though Harry had later confessed that he had hoped that Voldemort wouldn't have tried to find out anything involving the war just then as he had thought he had been rather nice in the days preceding. Harry would have been glad if that hadn't just been a sham to lull him into a false sense of safety. Well that is to say, if you can call a Dark Lord nice. Actually that wasn't something Harry ever told Voldemort but he could almost guess what the boy had thought. In reality Voldemort hadn't really been trying to do anything, well he had been trying to get to know the prophecy but as he had promised to let the boy live till the end of summer he wasn't in a hurry, even if he wasn't going to let the opportunity slip through his fingers. If he had waited until the boy had gotten stronger they would just have been more prone to blowing up his base. So Voldemort didn't regret anything but the time it took for them to sit down and discuss it afterwards.

"Legilimens" Voldemort attacked Harry's mind and was thrown out again rather quickly.

"Good, now let's try again with a stronger attack: _Legilimens_."

This time Harry didn't succeed as much. While he did put up a good resistance in the beginning he wasn't used to prolonged powerful attacks and as such Voldemort was able to penetrate Harry's occluding:

_Snape casting _legilimens_ upon Harry back at Hogwarts._

"No, get out." Harry tried to push Voldemort out, but still he only went deeper…

_Harry d__iving into a pensive._

"No, stop!" …and deeper until hitting the treasure:

_A misty shape forming on top of another pensive. A harsh voice speaking: "_'_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…__."_

"NO, GET OUT!"

The third time is the charm as they say, because out Voldemort was thrown. But it was too late; the secret had already been heard. They stared darkly at each other, too enraged to speak. After a while Voldemort stormed off so that he would not be tempted to break his promise and Harry buried his nose in one of Dumbledore's books so that he wouldn't be tempted to run away and never come back.

That had been the beginning. The end had, as stated previously, been much more explosive. Terrifying Death Eaters and it most probably would have drawn several Aurors to their location had Voldemort not enhanced his wards so many times. It had started rather simply with them having another occlumency/legilimency lesson. A fairly stupid idea considering their moods, but it had felt necessary at the time. Harry had just managed to view one of Voldemort's memories, which was a good as long as you only see it as a progress in the art itself. The difficulty lies within that it was the memory depicting Voldemort's revival. And Voldemort never appreciates being called on his weaknesses:

"Ha, bet you didn't expect that huh? A kid managing to get away from you and your inner circle! Pretty stupid of you to give me back my wand and releasing me, I'd say. Who would have thought that the powerful Dark Lord felt the need do prove his worth by duelling a fourteen-year-old?"

"_Crucio_" Voldemort hissed at Potter through clenched teeth. Potter whom, while managing to duck, looked rather frightened. "You foolish boy, did you think that just because I promised not to kill you before summer's end I would allow you to disrespect me like that? _Diffindo_. _Diffindo_. _Diffindo_."

Two bloody slashes appeared on Harry's chest before he managed to stop the last spell that was headed towards his face. The spells and curses rained down on Harry after that and it only got worse after Harry managed to hit Voldemort with _furnunculus_ - the boil-causing charm, and a _diffindo_ of his own. Eventually, after feeling rather beat up, Harry managed to hit Voldemort with _confundo_ managing to make him confused enough for a second so that Harry had time turn around and blow a hole in the wall so that he had more space to move around in. Harry ran with Voldemort in close pursuit to the large room where the Death Eater meetings usually were held. Although by the time they reached the hall all Death Eaters in the vicinity would have run of warned by their connections to Voldemort and the thick feeling of magic in the air. Also by the time they reached the large room they would have lost what grips they had on their magic and tempers. Dark magic clashed with dark magic causing dust and sparks fly through the air. But as the prophecy says they were equals and though Voldemort had more experience that isn't something that matters when you're swimming in a sea of rage.

Voldemort and Harry didn't calm down until their bodies collapsed and the adrenalin faded. With their final drops of magic they managed to remove the most damaging curses and heal each other of their worst wounds. Then they fell exhausted into healing comas hoping that none would find them while they were in this state. They didn't wake until half a day later when they dragged themselves to Voldemort's half-destroyed chambers where they dug up some strong healing potions only to go to bed and sleep until midday the thirtieth. When they sat down together that day both were feeling tired and ragged but that was probably for the best as it gave them no choice but to listen to each other. After a long talk about a wide range of things it finally came down to the prophecy. Though now that they both were thinking more rationally Voldemort said something quite true that settled all of their worries:

"Prophecies are vague things Harry." Voldemort said "And while they never fail to come true, they almost always do so in unexpected ways. _Die_ doesn't need to mean in a physical sense, and you must agree that we've certainly begun shed our old shells to become something new and there is no doubt that by the end of this we will forever be different."

And that was what it had taken for them to finally be at peace with each other and so instead of breaking down Harry's door he decided to leave Harry alone and that while he waited he could as well send out some Death Eaters to scout their first targets in the ministry. When he came back Harry had come back out again looking rather bleak but determined.

"Alright, this afternoon then?" Was all he said and Voldemort nodded.

**Harry stood next to **Voldemort staring at their target: Brockdale Bridge. They had decided upon that it would be their first target as a protest against the cooperation between muggles and wizards. The bridge had been built ten years ago in an attempt to get closer to the muggle world and although not much had happened since then a lot of plans had been made that could spell destruction for magical beings worldwide. Neither Voldemort nor Harry agreed to this. Even Harry who generally thought well of people, despite that most in his opinion was fairly stupid, could see that most muggles when confronted to new sciences was prone to use it in wars instead of in peace. Maybe if the world had looked like before when muggles hadn't been so numerous and almost no magical beasts had been in danger of complete extinction it could have been possible to try to live amongst them again, but not now, not with all their violence and intolerance. It wasn't time yet. The bridge was a good target. It would, because of its semi-magical nature, have some surveillance on it that would make most of Britain's wizarding world sit up and take notice when it was destroyed. He only hoped that the muggles wouldn't have to suffer too much, unfortunately it was rush-hour and so it seemed quite impossible that all those about to die would die quickly and without pain. Harry looked at Voldemort who nodded and they started to power up some heavy-duty blasting curses:

"EXPULSO MAXIMUS!" they screamed in choir aiming their curses at the pillars supporting the bridge. It didn't take many more curses until the bridge collapsed into the river allowing them to apparate away moments before the Aurors showed up.

Later that evening when Harry started to calm down from the rush of performing powerful magic he felt slightly out of phase. Something had definitely changed today because while he had planned for DWIB for almost a month now, this was his first real action as a Dwib. And while he'd used a lot of magic while staying at Voldemort's, and quite a bit of it dark too, he had never taken a life before not even in this abstract way. It would take a while to get used to the thought of killing though he knew it was a necessary pain. He just hoped he would never get overly fond of it especially not as he remembered what Voldemort had told him about dark magic and its effect on wizards. Harry was just about to meditate upon that for awhile when Voldemort knocked on his door to tell him that dinner was served and that they still had lots of planning to do for the week ahead. The chaos had only just begun.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven: A Death Eater gossip and Leaving the Lair

A/N: First I'd like to thank those of you who've reviewed. It's almost always a wonderful experience. Then, on the subject of Harry growing darker: Well first of all it's a matter of perspective although I have to admit that I like him a bit less goody-goody. But there's also some other factors that come into play and really, who can coexist with Voldemort without letting ones sadistic tendencies come forth? Because Voldemort will always be slightly evil. Now onto more important matters, the story:

Chapter seven: A Death Eater gossip and Leaving the Lair

**As the summer drew** to an end and the time for returning to the Dursleys and eventually Hogwarts was closing in, Voldemort and Harry had quite a lot to go through. Among other things they needed to put the finishing touches to Harry's occlumency so that nothing would be able to leak out to nosy outsiders. Especially those nosy outsiders situated at Hogwarts. Now, in reality it wasn't really necessary for Harry to be at Hogwarts for their plans to work out but it was easier that way. Not many suspects a kid still in school to try to overthrow the ministry, even if that kid is Harry Potter the Boy-Who-Lived. They also needed to decide upon what exactly they would do during the school year as Harry wouldn't be able to meet up with Voldemort very often, although he would have to sneak away sometime so that they could have a DWIB-meeting where all the important members would be able to meet. It was after one of those long and tiring planning sessions that Harry decided to stretch his legs by taking a walk through the house. But for safety reasons he first had to don some Death Eater robes and one of their masks.

The house was only a two-storied building, cellar not included, but it was built in a square around a one thousand square meter courtyard, and as such it had by far enough room for Harry to take a walk. Voldemort and he had finally recovered completely from their all-out fight on the twenty-eighth. It had been a painful time but now he actually felt stronger than before. Maybe one needed to exhaust their magic once in a while so that new fresh magic could take its place, sort of like spring cleaning?

By now Harry had wandered into the area where all Death Eaters, no matter what rank, were allowed. So when he passed through the door to one of the small studies the house held it wasn't that surprising that he stumbled upon on one of them working on what doubtlessly was a report for Voldemort. The man was sitting with his back to the door Harry entered from, but he looked up and turned around when he heard the sound of footsteps. At least Harry hoped it was a man, because he certainly didn't want to believe that women came in that size and with large hairy forearms to boost. While the Death Eater's hood wasn't down his mask lay beside his parchment on the table so when he turned his wheat blond hair and his rough features were in full view.

"Hi there buddy!" the now smiling man called out. "Why don't you sit down with me for moment? I've been spoiling for some company."

Harry sat down in the free chair opposite the man and stared across the small table at him.

"Hello." He responded.

"Not much for talking huh? Well no matter; I've been told I talk enough for a whole battalion."

Harry grunted. While most Death Eaters probably wasn't overly familiar with his voice it was best not to take any chances.

"You can take off your mask, nobody'll bother you here."

"Ah no, I'd rather not."

"Eh, it's okay. I remember being new. It's always worst in the beginning, but you'll get used to it. I know I did." He paused a bit before saying in a low conspiring tone: "So, did you feel that shock of magic 'bout a week ago? That was some powerful dark magic there all right. I reckon that was some other Dark Lord come for a visit that pissed of our Lord. Don't want to say it, but our Lord has one fine temper, he has."

Harry almost burst into laughter. Even his own Death Eaters thought Voldemort had a bad temperament. Although he wasn't sure if he liked being mistaken for another Dark Lord he responded. "Yeah, I felt it. But another Dark Lord? Surely there can't be that many of them, especially not ones who'd have time to come to England for a visit?"

"Well, actually there are quite a large number of them that call themselves Dark Lords but there's only a couple that really are all that strong. You're right about the time though, but I can't imagine someone other than a Dark Lord having such strong dark magic. It's really rather interesting how some wizards…" the blond Death Eater stopped abruptly and glared at something behind Harry's back.

"Don't just stand there rat!" He spat as Harry gripped his wand and turned to see what he was yelling at. "Didn't your mother tell you it isn't nice to listen in on others' conversations? Of course I can't imagine any mother wanting to spend time with the kind of ugly baby you must have been!"

And who stepped into the room after that if not Peter Pettigrew? Nobody could mistake that rat-like mug for anybody else's.

"Well now see here," Pettigrew responded as Harry felt his anger start bubbling up his throat. "I never did anything to you mister!"

"You didn't have to you stinking little coward! Always hiding and spying never doing anything to help the rest of us. Always complaining about everything you're made to do when the Dark Lord orders you, as if you're supposed to be something special for helping with our Lord's revival."

"_Crucio_" Harry who finally snapped hissed , sounding so much like Voldemort in that moment that the blond Death Eater felt a shiver travel up his spine. Harry had never really liked using the _cruciatus_ and as there was quite a lot of different pain-causing spells to choose from he usually avoided it. But now he desired from the bottom of his soul to cause his parents' betrayer pain and so the _cruciatus_ seemed the only curse appropriate for the occasion. And pain Peter Pettigrew felt, at least judging from the high rat like screeches he gave. But it wasn't enough for Harry he wanted him to feel _pain_, pain so intense that screaming wasn't enough, that lying curled in foetal position shaking would be the only available option.

"Hey buddy! Maybe you should stop: He isn't worth it! The Dar…" the man was stopped by a glare from _Avada_ _Kedavra_ green eyes glowing with magic. Dark magic. Intense enough for him to suspect it was the same magic as the magic battling with the Dark Lord's a week and a half ago. By the time the magic stopped Pettigrew had stopped screaming and lay staring at nothing with empty soulless eyes.

"Who _are_ you?"

Harry turned around to face the Death Eater and slowly took off his mask.

"Harry Potter" he said "_obliviate_". While he found the charm slightly difficult, it was worth it to be able to see the look in the blond man's eyes when he revealed his identity.

**The last week of**** Harry's** stay passed quickly. In the end Voldemort and he had decided to kill Pettigrew and get rid of the body. Him just being alive wouldn't help prove Sirius' innocence and it just wasn't worth the trouble of admitting him to Saint Mungus. As for Voldemort's reaction: Well he hadn't really cared except for regretting not being able to torture Pettigrew himself. He had meant to as revenge for the botched up resurrection, but hadn't had the energy to look or call for the little sneak. And privately he felt rather proud of Harry for being able to torture someone to insanity, but he didn't tell him that.

Today it was the thirteenth of August and Harry was returning to the Dursleys so that he would be there tomorrow when some members of the order were supposed pick him up for his trip to Diagon Alley. At the moment he was sitting in the armchair in Voldemort's study waiting for him to finish up some last minute business before they would apparate to the Dursleys together. Harry supposed it was lucky that the order hadn't been able to post guards around number four this summer as they had done the previous, not that Mundugus had been much help with the dementors all in all. But now he was digressing again, he didn't know why but he seemed to think almost too much this summer. Anyway, the guards… They hadn't had enough people available with the war against Voldemort stepping up, well as they perceived it anyway.

Harry and Voldemort appeared a couple of streets away from the Dursley residence at dusk, which considering that it was summer was fairly late.

"You remember how to reactivate your shielding, I hope?" Voldemort asked only half-jokingly.

Harry glared at him and mockingly imitated tapping a wand at something while hissing. Voldemort sighed and clasped his shoulder while he looked Harry in the eyes.

"Just remember to be careful, alright Harry?" Voldemort looked away a little uncomfortable. "After all, I am the only one who has any right to kill you." He added with a slight sneer.

"Don't worry grandpa. You'll die of age before I keel over." Harry grinned, though he did feel a little touched.

"Why you little…! I ought to…" was the only thing Voldemort had time to say before Harry sprinted around the corner while waving backwards without looking.

When Harry arrived at the house the two adult Dursleys were asleep. Dudley was out… somewhere. Harry felt he really didn't want to now _exactly_ where. He used the magical lock-pick he'd bought this summer, to replace the penknife he received from Sirius so long ago, to sneak in quietly through the front door. He hoped any neighbours looking would remember him and not mistake him for a burglar, and if they remembered him not call the police. He also hoped that aunt Petunia and uncle Vernon wouldn't scream loud enough when they discovered him in the morning that the neighbours would call the police then instead.

Harry needn't have worried. The fourteenth was a Sunday and all the Dursleys took the opportunity to sleep in that day so Harry was picked up by the Order before coming in contact with them at all. Although he did leave them a note recommending them to leave the country as it wouldn't be very safe any time soon.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter six; Seeing people Harry usually likes and Being seen by people that usually don't like Harry

Chapter eight: Seeing people Harry usually likes and Being seen by people that usually don't like Harry

**When** **Draco** **saw** **his** **school** **rival** sitting at Fortescue's with the Weasel and Granger he felt rather conflicted. On one hand he wanted to approach them like he usually did, try to destroy their day and all. On the other hand, the last time he'd seen Potter he'd been with the Dark Lord and Draco didn't want to risk being seen as an annoyance that could be replaced in the eyes of his lord. Then there was the fact that he also felt a bit jealous. He wasn't really comfortable in admitting it but there it was: Draco Malfoy was jealous of Harry Potter the Boy Who Couldn't Die. It mostly depended on the fact that at present time Draco was stared at like he was the dirt on people's shoes while Potter was looked upon in awe once again.

It was when Draco was standing lost in his thoughts that luminous green eyes suddenly bore into his and he froze on the spot. The eyes seemed amused and slightly malicious as if they had some dark plan intended for the recipient of that gaze, a plan that they weren't a bit hesitant in carrying out. Draco had never really felt fearsome of the eyes' owner, but there was something lurking behind those orbs that suddenly made him thinking of fleeing the country and hide in a nice big bed with numerous comforters covering him. When he saw those eyes he couldn't help but wonder if Potter's behaviour in the Dark Lord's office hadn't on purpose been intended to throw him of balance to make him sit down on _that_ couch. He felt his blood start to boil and cold sweat break out at the thought of the punishment he had taken that day. He had never been more afraid of the Dark Lord then in that moment.

Then suddenly Draco could move again as Potter looked away to respond to something his companions had said and Draco was stuck wondering how he ever could have been afraid of Scar-head while he hurried off to Knockturn Alley as to not to be late for his appointment.

**When Harry saw his school rival** staring at him while he was eating ice cream with his friends at Fortescue's in Diagon Alley he felt terribly amused. He could very well imagine how weird it must be for Malfoy to see him in such an innocuous setting after recently seeing him together with the Dark Lord. Of course, it was quite unlikely that dear Draco would have to bother himself with such questions before long. He switched his gaze to Ron seconds later when he asked how Harry's summer had been. Apparently he'd finally managed to remember his presence after Hermione had stopped blabbing and he had recovered from his bout as a love-sick puppy.

"Oh, it was fine, same as usual really. The Dursleys pretended I didn't exist, but I like it better that way." he answered. Hermione didn't seem quite satisfied with that answer though so he continued: "Ehm… I read quite a bit too, you know, about Occlumency and stuff." That should be vague yet satisfying enough for them.

"Nooo! Not another Hermione!" Ron moaned and hid his face behind his hands.

"Now Ron, you should follow his example. It's very good Harry that you've started to do something useful with your summer break." she smiled briefly at Harry before continuing to scowl against Ron.

"Hermione!" Ron said in consternation. "Breaks should be used for quidditch and sleeping, not _books_."

They kept arguing on this vein for some time before Harry decided enough was enough and asked them how _their_ summers had been:

"Oh… you know. The first few weeks were fine but with all these attacks happening lately we've hardly had a chance to go outside. Not that I'm not perfectly content to sit and read, but some fresh air _is_ nice once in a while." Hermione said.

Harry did know, and felt damn guilty about it too. He hadn't really wanted all those muggles to die but Voldemort had insisted. And Harry could see his point because they did have to put pressure on the Ministry of Magic to be able to clear out the Irrational Elements there. If people worry about outside threats they won't be as vigilant on the ones coming from inside. And besides, now that Cornelius Fudge was gone and Rufus Scrimgeour had replaced him everything was becoming much smoother. Soon there wouldn't be any need for copious amounts of bloodshed.

"Yeah, but at least Scrimgeour is clearing the ministry of spies. Well, I hope they are spies anyway. But there seems to be so many!" Ron continued.

"That's awfully strange! I haven't really heard that much about it. I didn't want to risk upsetting the Dursleys by getting owls everyday, but what I heard on the muggle news didn't sound that good."

"No it wouldn't, would it? I mean, with Voldemort… oh stop flinching Ron! ... Being revealed he doesn't need to hold back really."

"I'm just surprised there haven't been any signs of giants."

"What do you mean Ron?" Harry was rather proud of that actually. He had managed to convince Voldemort not to involve giants or Inferi. Dementors were quite enough when it came to terror.

"Well no offence to Hagrid… But his mission didn't work out that well, right? So with all the attacks lately, one would think that there would be some from giants too."

"Let's just be glad that there aren't." the others nodded.

"By the way, will you be coming with us to headquarters the last two weeks of the summer break, Harry?" Hermione asked. "The Burrow's a bit tense with Fleur there and all so we asked if we couldn't get to stay there for a while. At first it seemed like they, you know the old crowd, would abandon it because they couldn't be sure that there weren't any spells on it that would forbid someone not pureblood to own it. However, it turned out that Snuffles knew about them and found a way around them! Though I don't know how much I believe in that" she quieted but continued quickly after a glance at Harry's expression when speaking disapprovingly of Sirius "but if Dumbledore says it's alright I'm sure it'll be fine. So what do you think? You do know that Snuffles left the place to you?"

"Yeah, I know: Dumbledore told me in a letter. But I… well I… no I don't think I'd… though, oh… You know what? I think I will; I've missed you guys a bit. Wait a minute! What's Fleur doing at the Burrow?"

"Oh, haven't we told you? Fleur and Bill are getting married." Hermione responded with a overly fake smile.

"But isn't that a good thing?"

"You haven't had to spend time with her yet, mate. You wouldn't stand her either if you'd have had. Not even mom can stand her."

"Oh… well… Anyway, how did it go on your OWLs?"

"Seven of them, no O's though and I failed Divination and History of Magic, but who cares about that?" he smiled happily. "And our dear book-worm got ten O's and one E, much to her shame. How will you ever manage 'Mione?"

"Oh you! Well I suppose it's not _that_ bad but still… And what did you get Harry?"

"Same as Ron: seven, although I got an O in Defence... I just regret that I won't be able to continue with potions, I only got an E, and if I ever want to be an auror that just won't be enough."

"But maybe Professor Dumbledore can… Oh snap! I can't believe I forgot! Dumbledore never got reinstated as headmaster. Too much happening at the ministry I suspect."

"What! Who then will we have?" Not that Harry really was unaware of that little fact but still who would have told him? It wasn't as if he could say _oh you know, I was chatting a bit with Voldemort when he told me that Dumbledore's been tied up at the ministry the whole summer_.

"Eh, dad says it should be McGonagall. But still that leaves us with two unknowns for Transfigurations and Defence. But who cares when there's a new quidditch season? Wonder who got captainship?"

"I did." Harry said.

"You did, that's nice. Oh you did! Well why didn't you say so?"

"Oh you guys!" Hermione sighed, "How can you think of quidditch at such a time? What if our future teachers aren't properly instructive? I don't really mind studying outside class in the library, but think of all those who can't! I just…. How can you think of flying around on cleaning utensils at such a _crisis_?"

"_Cleaning utensils_!? Why you…"

At that point Harry took the chance to sneak away; he had some business at Gringotts to do and he would meet them later in the evening when he got to Grimmauld Place anyway. He waved at Tonks standing in disguise some metres away and sneaked off.

3


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter seven; Recruiting and

Chapter nine: On recruiting and How many goblins does it take to agree to a rebellion?

**Harry approached Gringotts' **whitemarble building with trepidation. Sure he had already almost recruited one goblin to DWIB but that was only Bodrig the Boss-Eyed and though Bodrig had some power being the spokesgoblin of the Brotherhood of Goblins he didn't belong to the truly powerful amongst the race. Still he was a reasonably good starting point, unfortunately he was already rather used to wizards, that is to say: used to arguing with them.

"Why would I or any goblin for that matter want to join up with wizards? Wizards that have been treating us like second-hand citizens for centuries! Not to speak of that lousy little…" Bodrig continued to rave on about the mean, conceited, horribly untrustworthy wizard society for several minutes not forgetting to include the incident with Ludo Bagman; where he swindled a group of goblins out of a large amount of gold at the Quidditch World Cup, several times until Harry finally lost his temper.

"First of all DWIB might consist only of wizards at the moment but that will change. As for you second statement, that's why you should join; DWIB will become the main source of power in the future and we will go through with our plans whether you join us or not. The question is: _do you want a chance to become more than what you are today, or do you want to be considered less worthy than wizards forever?_" But it was probably a good thing that Harry did loose his temper because after that everything went so much smoother.

"Talk to Nugget the Golden-Eyed. He's a cousin of mine, works at Gringotts he does. Rather powerful all in all. Convince him to join and I'll join too, I _promise_." Bodrig said accompanied with frenetic nods but not without a malevolent glint in his eyes.

Although Bodrig's tone when he said 'promise' wasn't very comforting, Harry decided to give Nugget a try. Because when everything was accounted for, how hard could it be to convince _goblins_ to rebel?

After entering the bank Harry had to stand in line for a while, he had come at a rather busy hour after all, but still he felt it a bit strange when thinking about the whole situation. When Voldemort recruited he could hardly imagine the self-proclaimed lord waiting for his turn to speak with the goblins. Well actually, he could, but that scenario included several people lying twitching on the ground in the painful after-bouts induced by the _Cruciatus_, the terrible curse the Dark Lord obviously would have used to relieve his boredom. Of course Harry was aware that during his youth Voldemort had been very patient what with gathering those objects that had once belonged to the founders and planning his rise to power. But just as Harry was aware that Voldemort once had been patient he was also aware that his extensive use of dark magic had made him a bit _snappier_ than before. Maybe it was for the best that Harry was the one to recruit the goblins, because who knew if Voldemort wouldn't have had blown up the whole building by now?

**Elsewhere Voldemort's patience** was actually holding up slightly better than Harry had predicted. But maybe that was just because he could curse his followers for some relaxation once in a while. Or it could be that the ones he was recruiting already were his followers. When Voldemort had mentioned recruiting a couple of his Death Eaters to Harry he had just said:

"As long as they haven't been cursed too much I'm sure they'll agree. And as long as they are relatively sane and not too bloodthirsty I'm sure I'll agree. Why don't you recruit them first? I can meet them later on and see what I think of them then. Well, as long as it isn't Bellatrix Lestrange."

At the moment Voldemort was sitting in his comfortable office-chair. It was soft and had a minor warming-charm plus a nice swivel-charm on. In front of him his black leather couch was situated; no Dark Lord should be without a nice leather couch that tempts followers to sit down in it, not that they ever would be allowed to actually do so. Today that rule was to be broken. It wasn't the first and not the last rule to be broken for the sake of DWIB and Voldemort felt a bit regretful for that actually as he really liked the couch-rule, for today two of his oldest Death Eater was sitting on that couch and Voldemort had invited them to do so.

**Mulciber and Nott stared at each other** then they stared at their Lord. The couch-rule was one of the most famous and at the same time one of the most hated rules known to the Death Eaters and they felt both bewildered and fearful upon actually sitting on it. Neither of them could hide their terror when they gazed at their Lord. Not even the sight of the large stacks of paper and parchment behind him could quench it. Then the Dark Lord started to speak and they had no choice but to try to still their fast-paced hearts and listen carefully lest they be cursed.

"Though both of you failed me quite spectacularly at the battle in the Department of Mysteries, I have decided that generally you are reasonably competent. This is why I have decided to give you a chance none of my other _loyal_ subjects are going to get." The Dark Lord quieted which made the two Death Eaters feel quite uncertain about what to do. Their Lord didn't seem to be expecting an answer, but _still_, so Nott opened his mouth and started to thank his Lord with a trembling voice only to be shut up with a fierce glare which's like maybe only Severus Snape can be expected to match.

To Nott's defence it can be said that he, nor Mulciber, could have been expected to be able to read Voldemort's mind as he is a very skilled occlumens. Though if they had been able to, they would have realised that Voldemort was simply trying to come up with a way to utter the word _DWIB_ without sounding completely ridiculous.

"Earlier this summer I was quite unexpectedly given the offer to join a new organisation with slightly different goals and methods than what we have. Not too long ago I accepted and now I'm extending this offer to you both." He handed them a sheet of parchment each and told them he would be back within the hour and that they better have their answers ready by then.

"_The society of DWIB - a Defence with Intelligent Beings_

_Primary objective: To, with as non-violent means as possible, eradicate the Irrational Elements of Our Society(Our Society being the Wizarding world of the United Kingdom) with primary focus of the IE in the Ministry of Magic, the Death Eaters…_"

They didn't manage to read any further before having to stop to gawk at each other. That wasn't quite what they had expected.

**At Gringotts ****Harry had finally** been led to Deputy Managing Director Nugget the Golden-Eyed's office, after waiting for nearly an hour and a half in the lobby of course. His guide, a rather short disgruntled looking goblin, knocked twice on the gold-decorated door and then opened it for Harry. When he stepped inside the room the door immediately closed behind him and he was left alone with a rather sane looking goblin with gold-framed glasses. Harry introduced himself and then gave a brief speech about DWIB and their plans. Nugget listened to it all seemingly unimpressed and then asked:

"I don't quite see what benefit this would give to the goblins. No matter how society changes wizards and other beings will still use Gringotts to guard their money. "

"But surely you realise how much more freedom your race would have if you joined DWIB. And if it is money you want more of, surely you can see that after the changes we will bring more beings will be able to contribute to society and therefore more money to your bank."

"You make a good argument young Potter, but no, I will not join."

And so the goblins never became dwibs. And while Harry several times worried that they would betray their secrets they never did as Voldemort, Harry and many Death Eaters held far too many riches at Gringotts for the goblins to risk the gold and other stuff being removed.

**While Harry had ****to** concede to defeat Voldemort had just returned to his quarters to hear Mulciber's and Nott's answers:

"My Lord, we were wondering about what kind of ranks there are and about who's leading this thing." Nott spoke.

"We're all more or less equals."

"More or less?"

"Yes, unless you consider yourself on the same magical level as me? Of course this will not matter too much on the whole. When it comes to leadership the chairman is the only one above me although we work as equals in most things."

"When will we meet this chairman?"

"When you have joined and we have recruited more people."

"All right then, we'll join." Nott said while Mulciber nodded in agreement.

"Good, then I have something I need you to do for me." Voldemort said while looking at Mulciber. "Of course it goes almost without saying that if either of you should betray DWIB I most certainly won't be this pleasant." Voldemort raised an eyebrow and then gestured for Nott to leave.

"Now then, I have a person under the _imperius_ that you'll need to take over for me. It takes up too much of my time to keep him myself and I know you're skilled in the mental arts."

So while Voldemort and Harry didn't manage to gain any goblin friends at least they acquired two competent Death Eaters (which is somewhat of an oxymoron, I know).


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten: A Grim Old story and biscuits

**Harry had just about** settled down at Grimmauld Place when Dumbledore came to see him. Because of Dumbledore's increased workload at the ministry of magic Harry had known that the old wizard would be unable to continue on as headmaster. Apparently this meant that when Dumbledore said he had a fair amount of things to tell Harry, things that couldn't be left unsaid, they had to go through it all before September first.

"Good evening Harry. I hope you've settled down all right?"

"Good evening sir. Yes, well it is a bit strange without Sirius but, yeah, I suppose I have, thank you."

"So Harry" Dumbledore said changing his friendly tone to a more businesslike one "we are going to spend quite some time together these next few days. Alas, it must be done, though it is hardly enough for what I need to tell you." He paused peering at Harry through his glasses as if looking to see if he was ready to listen properly. Whatever it was he was looking for, he seemed to have found because next thing Harry knew it was eight in the morning and he was lying on the sofa in the library, where he had met with Dumbledore, with a blanket covering him and the feeling that he would have to have a nice long chat with Voldemort before school started. He thought back on yesterday's conversation and hoped that this was one of those big mistakes Dumbledore had claimed he'd made:

"While I did tell you everything I know about you and Voldemort last term, there is a lot I think could be true that you should be aware of and consider before anything else happens." Dumbledore gazed at him sorrowfully.

"Think? Er… sir."

"Yes, think. I could be woefully wrong, indeed I hope I am, however I don't think I am and therefore I have decided to share with you my _guesswork_ I suppose you could say."

From that point until about three a.m. or so Dumbledore had told and showed Harry, through the means of a pensive, Voldemort's degeneration and early childhood. Some of it Harry recognised, and he was hard-pressed not to give it away, and some of it he didn't. It made him feel quite uncomfortable to hear such details about his friend from Dumbledore. At the same time he couldn't decide if the ex-headmaster pitied Voldemort or was being utterly fascinated by him. No matter which was true he couldn't help but snort in amusement when Dumbledore compared him to a magpie.

The strange conversation occupied much of Harry's thoughts the next morning until he saw Dumbledore again that afternoon. The thoughts buzzed around in his head and he realised that the worst was yet to come; this was not a story of a child being mean and strangely aware of his magic. There was something more sinister lurking behind Dumbledore's words and Harry felt uncomfortable knowing that he couldn't get a confirmation or a denial from Voldemort straight away. He didn't want the trust that had risen between them to crumble because of something Dumbledore said. The most disconcerting thing was that during Harry's time in the wizarding world it was not uncommon that Dumbledore was right, annoyingly often. But even so, Dumbledore and Harry continued their talks from afternoon until early morning when Harry practically fell asleep. Several days went on like this until one morning when Harry emerged from the pensive and noticed that he was not the only one who got exhausted by these discussions:

Harry stood from the sofa and brought with him the quilt that hung over the back of it over to where Dumbledore was sitting with his hands clasped. He took a moment to regard Dumbledore quietly. His age was clearer than ever and he looked troubled even in the mists of sleep. His hands though otherwise healthy was covered with age-spots and looked thin and fragile. Usually Dumbledore's clear and lively blue eyes helped cover up these signs of age but as he was asleep the only thing that looked happy and healthy was his silvery white beard. Harry stopped his musings as Dumbledore let out a sigh and tucked the quilt around him. He smiled a sad and slightly bitter smile as he realised he would miss Dumbledore terribly after he died but then he turned and walked off to bed without looking back even once.

**Several days later** Harry realised that he had spent over a week being concerned with the things Dumbledore had told and showed him while ignoring his friends completely and so the next day whilst Dumbledore took care of some ministry business Harry went off to search for Ron and Hermione. He found them in the room Hermione and Ginny shared. Ron and Ginny were playing chess whilst Hermione sat on her bed reading some tome on something and something else. The tome was big and looked heavy. In conclusion: Hermione's usual _light reading_.

"Hey guys." he greeted them with a tired smile.

"Harry!" three voices said in a chorus. "Is everything alright?" Hermione asked.

"Well, as much as it can be I suppose." He gave another tired smile before he continued. "But enough about that. It's been awhile since we did something together so I thought we could bake some biscuits!" he finished his statement with an obviously false cheerful voice.

Ron gave him a strange look, as did Hermione and Ginny for that matter.

"But seriously I think we should. It could be fun and besides since when have you been able to resist anything eatable Ron?" Harry said.

"Well yeah, but have you forgotten we're not allowed to use magic?" Ron asked.

"Why would we use magic? We're doing it the muggle way!" Harry grinned as he saw their shocked faces. Well Ron and Ginny's anyway. Hermione just gave him a look that said 'we'll talk later mister'.

**A couple of days later **Dumbledore and Harry met one last time:

"Before I say goodbye and wish you good look with the new school year there is something more I want to speak with you about." Dumbledore said after what was their last chat about Voldemort. "I have noticed that you have become more comfortable with your magic lately and I found myself wondering if anyone has taken the time to discuss with you wizard inclinations towards magic lately. Have they?"

"Ah no, but I'm not entirely unfamiliar with the concept." Harry answered although Voldemort had discussed it with him. Dumbledore looked at him expectantly so he continued: "I know that every wizard has an inclination towards one or more areas of magic, something that they have an easier time to learn and are naturally better at than others without the same inclination."

"Well said my boy, couldn't have said it better myself. These areas of magic are a bit extensive that most care to admit though. Most prefer to neglect to think of the fact that it is not only transfiguration and charms and such one can be predisposed. Indeed inclinations towards magic of the darker kind regularly occur. That is not to say that every wizard with this darker inclination is bad. It is maybe not widely known but Grindelwald was a very close friend of mine when I was younger. He had this inclination but I can with certainty say that it was not the reason for his _ambition_ to become a dark lord." Dumbledore sat silent for a moment with his eyes clouded over and mind focused on some distant memory.

"Sir, are you alright?" Harry said carefully.

"Thank you for your concern Harry. Alas you gather quite some memories when you live as long as I have been allowed to. But my past is not the reason why I brought this up. I just wanted to speak with you because I recognise the same inclination that Grindelwald had coming from yourself and I just wanted to reassure you that no matter what anybody insinuate it does not mean that you're _evil_ when in fact it is this inclination that makes you so excellent at _Defence Against_ the Dark Arts."

Harry nodded and assured him that he would keep it in mind. Then they said goodbye and Harry went off to find Ron and Hermione to see if they had killed each other yet. And to see if their latest batch of biscuits had managed to survive Ron's stomach.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven: Dwibbing and Returning to the Lair

**After all those days** spent with Dumbledore being told of his _guesswork_ Harry was left with little time to do what he really had come to Grimmauld Place to do. He was also feeling a little wrung out all the acting he had had to do to conceal where he really had been, and what he really had done earlier this summer. He was more then ready for a change of scene and it wasn't long before he got his chance to do a little dwibbing. When lurking around the kitchen after an Order meeting he finally spotted one of his targets alone. He took a deep breath, tried as well as he could to calm his nerves, and started his approach.

"Mr. Weasley? Do you have a moment?"

Arthur Weasley spun around quickly with his wand raised, but as he noticed it was Harry he immediately put it away again.

"My goodness Harry, you scared me! Where have you learned to sneak around like that? Not even the twins… No matter, what do you need Harry?"

"Oh, I just wanted to speak with you a bit, if you don't mind of course."

"No, of course I don't mind Harry; you know you're like Molly's and my eighth child anyway. Why don't we sit down?"

"Er, I'd hoped we could've gone somewhere more private."

"Yes you are quite right, the kitchen's got quite a bit of traffic, hasn't it?"

"Mm."

They relocated to the drawing room on the second floor that they had cleaned last summer but had rarely used since.

Harry went up to the large windows and gazed out at the street in front of the house. It was empty of life as it was quite late in the evening when the order meeting finished. He turned to Mr. Weasley who had placed himself beside him, waiting for him to speak. He sure hoped that Voldemort was right about this one.

**Arthur Weasley had rarely** heard Harry speak as seriously and maturely as he did now. Sure he'd always been more independent and mature than for example Ron, but there had always been something of a child left. Now however even that glimpse seemed to be gone.

"Mr. Weasley, I'm going to be blunt and I hope you'll excuse me. I have, during this summer, found myself with quite a lot to think about. And I have come to realise that there is something you can help me with." Harry had said to which he had responded:

"Just name it." He wasn't sure what to expect but it sure wasn't what he got…

"Will you tell me about why you first begun to work at the ministry and why you later joined the Order?"…but he would do his best to respond anyway:

"I have always felt the need to look out for those I love and those that can't defend themselves. But primarily I joined because I thought that our society was stagnating, it needed change badly and without delay. For me, the best way to try and bring out that change was to do it from inside. Of course that was before I was stuffed into the _Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office_ for speaking out against the higher ups. Not that I nurse some secret resent against muggles, I did truly come to appreciate them and their ways to manage without magic, those plugs and the batteries! Never have I seen…" he noticed Harry's amused stare and gave a little embarrassed cough. "Anyway… It wasn't long after that, that I joined the Order. Although recently our concerns have seemed to lie more with patching up after You-Know-Who's done rather than bringing about any true change or even taking counteractive measures." He paused and tried to calm down a little. "I'm sorry Harry, I'm sure you didn't bring me here to listen to me rant."

"Actually I'm glad that you told me how you feel. You see, during the summer something happened that led me to notice some rather disagreeable trends in the wizarding world and I played with the idea of forming a society of sorts to remove them. It probably wouldn't have gone any further than that unless I had met a similarly-minded individual that encouraged me to form this draft." Harry withdrew a folded piece of parchment from the back pocket of his jeans.

"I know that when you read this you might find it hard to believe that it is a real organisation. Especially considering that I'm its founder. But please keep in mind that although you have known me for several years I have been out of the order's reach this summer. And, because of the fact that you know me, you should be aware that I would never lie about anything as serious as this."

Harry handed over the parchment. "Let me know if you're interested, otherwise I hope that you'll forget that we ever had this conversation and burn the draft, I'll need an answer before school starts, sooner if possible. Thank you for your time." Harry smiled and turned to walk out the door leaving Arthur standing there both looking and feeling rather stunned. He walked over to an armchair and sat down thereafter he slowly unfolded the parchment.

**Harry looked up **from his trunk when he heard a knock on the door. He doubted it was Ron as he was in the library with Hermione at the moment trying to finish his homework for the summer on time.

"Come in." he called out.

"Hello Harry, do you have a moment?" Arthur Weasley asked.

"Yes, of course. Have a seat." Harry gestured towards Ron's bed.

"I had a question about your, eh, society, if you don't mind." Arthur said.

"No, feel free to ask me anything."

Arthur hesitated a brief moment before saying:

"When you say 'eradicate', what exactly do you mean?"

"Well, kill obviously. I'm sorry but there's really no nicer way of putting it. And it not something I enjoy but there's no avoiding that there are some people, and other beings too for that matter, that we really can't suffer to let live."

"Oh… In the order who… I mean could you tell me…" Arthur didn't really seem to know how to ask.

"Don't worry Mr. Weasley. There is no need for fear. None in your family should come to harm. Well there is a possibility that Percy might come to harm because of his position in the MoM, but probably not unless he does something stupid."

"I don't suppose you will tell me who exactly in the order that's at risk?"

"No unless you join. You know there are some pretty dark wizards on the council it would be good to have some counterweights to help balance everything."

"Alright then I'm in."

"Great timing Arthur, may I call you Arthur?" Arthur nodded. "we're leaving for our first big meeting in ten minutes. So make your excuses then meet me here." Harry swept out of the room to say goodnight to his friends. After all they were leaving for Hogwarts in the morning and he needed his rest.

Ten minutes later Harry and Arthur where whisked away by port-key to Voldemort's lair.


End file.
